Wind power is the leading technology of the energy transition in the UK. It is the basis for the transition shift championed by the Starmer government—and it is failing because the grid operator is having to pay hundreds of millions to wind turbine operators to turn them off. The reason: there is no way to transport the electricity to where it can be consumed.
The UK is not a country known for its many days of sunshine. What it is known for is the fact it is an island, and islands are windy places. Wind power was supposed to be perfect for the UK. It was the main tool that would, according to the new government, turn it into a global leader in the energy transition. Instead, it has cost Britons 1.3 billion to compensate wind turbine operators for lost profits—this year alone.
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